Literature by Children of Immigrants

Second Generation Authors of Hispanic and Caribbean Origin

Introduction

Ernesto Galarza was a Mexican-American writer and social activist who advocated on behalf of agricultural workers.

Mexicans make up the largest part of immigrants from Latin America and the Caribbean. Starting in the early 1900s, Mexicans began entering the U.S. as agricultural laborers. During World War II and the Korean War, Mexican laborers were sought by the U.S. to ease the labor shortage.

Of the rest of the immigrants from this region, a large percentage have come from the Caribbean islands.